Funeral car



Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,811

R. SILVER FUNERAL CAR Filed March 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet gmxmtoz Roberz Silt/6'1" R. SILVER FUNERAL CAR Filed March 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PATENT OFFIQE.

ROBERT SILVER, OF KNIGHTSTOWN, INDIANA.

FUNERAL CAB.

I Application-filed March 10, 1927. Serial No. 174,354.

- the casket arranged in a manner to guide the casket in place centrally within the body of the vehicle in an easy and convenient manner, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one application of my invention,

Figure 2, a horizontal section, Figure 3, a fragmentary detail perspective,

Figure 41, a section on the line H of Fig. 3, and

Figure 5, a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In the drawm s reference character 10 mdicates a vehicle ody of the funeral car type provided with doors 11 and 12 (preferably double doors, as shown) which are mounted by appropriate hinges on the body 10 in a manner to permit them to swing outwardly to provide a clear unobstructed opening or doorway equal to the size of the combined doors. Each side of the body is preferably a duplicate of the other and is provided with such doors in order to aflord read access at either side of the vehicle in loading or unloading. A pair of seats '13 and 14 for driver and attendant, of thebasket or collapsible type, are provided at the front of the vehicle. Such seats when collapsed occupy a position so as not to obstruct the doorway at either side of the vehicle.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a casket 15 within the vehicle and in Fig. 2, have illustrated by dottedlines the relative position of. the

casket as it is being placed in the vehicle.

In order to render the loading and unloading of the casket comparatively simple and'ea I provide one or more rollers 15 dispose at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and on each side thereof. These rollers are preferably adjacent the rear doors 11 and are arranged to cause a casket to swing in line with the vehicle body as it is moved rearwardly when bein loaded. In order to further bring the casket lnto line with the sides of the vehicle or into its proper longitudinal position, I provide other rollers 16 disposed transversely of the body, which serve when the casket is pushed in overthe rollers 15 to receive it and tend to swing it to a position longitudinally of the vehicle. The rollers 15 and 16 are shown in alined pairs, each roller being of appropriate length and spaced apart so that each pair is of a length sufficient to support the width of a full sized casket. As shown one set of inclined rollers 15 are disposed at each side of the vehicle, obviously, however, additional rollers might be provided if desired. Likewise instead of three sets of rollers 16, any other appropriate number may be employed.

To prevent the rubbin and abrasion of the lower adjacent edge 0 the casket against the sides of the doorway as it is loaded, I provide a rubber covered roller 17 mounted in a bracket 19 in substantially vertical position at the rear corner of each doorway to engage and protect said lower edge and at the same time assist the rollers 15 and 16 in guiding the casket to its place. Directly behind each roller 17 is mounted a sliding block 19 against which the opposite corner of the casket is adapted to engage. Said sliding block is provided with an inclined rear inner face and is held in forward posithe corner of the casket engages the sliding block, as it is being loaded, the block will slide rearwardly with the casket and act in conjunction with the rollers to guide the casket-into position. As soon as released from such contact coiled spring 20 returns said block to normal position.

In order to hold the casket from moving durin the trip in the vehicle, a plurality of pin p ates 21 are provided disposed to extend longitudinally one at the front and one at the rear of thevehicle and similarpin plates 22 disposed transversely are provided on each side of the same. The pin plates 21 are provided with longitudinally spaced holes or sockets 23 and the pin plates 22 are provided with transversely spaced sockets 24, the sockets being adapted toreceive pins 25 for holding the casket in place.

Numerous changes in the details of construction will be apparent and obvious to those skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit of my invention, and I, therefore do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth in the appended claims,

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination of a vehicle body, doors mounted in each side of the body and adapted to open to provide an unobstructed opening through which a casket may be loaded, and rollers mounted in the floor of said body and having-their axes positioned obliquely with respect to said vehicle body for guiding a casket from an angular to a longitudinal position, and rollers mounted in the floor of the body with their axes transverse of the vehicle for guiding the casket longitudinally of the vehicle, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a vehicle body, a door in the side of the body through which a casket may be loaded, a roller at the rear edge of the doorway adapted to prevent the side of the casket from scraping the edge of the doorway, and a cooperating element at the opposite side of the interior of the vehicle body adapted to be engaged by the corner of the casket and assist in the movement of the casket within the vehicle body, substantially as set forth.

3. A side loading car comprisin a vehicle body, a door at one side of the body adapted to open to provide an unobstructed passageway, a roller in the floor of the vehicle disposed at an aligle to the doorway and to the line of access to the vehicle and arranged to guide a casket to slide at an an le across the floor of the vehicle, and another roller disposed transversely of the floor of the vehicle rearwardly of the Inclined roller and adapted to act in conjunction with the first roller for guiding an object in a direction longitudinally of the vehicle, substantially as set forth.

4. A side loading car comprising a vehicle body, a door at one side of the body adapted to open to provide an unobstructed passageway, a roller in the floor of the vehicle disposed at an angle to the doorway V and to the line of access to the vehicle and arranged to guide a casket to slide at an angle across the floor of the vehicle, another roller disposed transversely of the floor of the vehicle rearwardly of the inclined roller and adapted to act in conjunction with the first roller for guiding an object in a direction longitudinally of the vehicle, and a slide adjacent the doorway arranged to contact with the end of the casket and assist in aiding it to positionysubstantially as set orth.

5. A side loading car comprising a vehicle body, a door at one side of the body adapted to open to provide an unobstructed passageway, a roller in the floor of the vehicle disposed at an angle to the doorway and to the line of access to the vehicle and arranged to guide a casket to slide at an. angle across the floor of the vehicle, another roller disposed transversely of the floor of the vehicle rearwardly of the inclined roller and adapted to act in conjunction with the first roller for guiding an object in a direction. longitudinally of the vehicle, and antifriction rollers on opposite sides of the vehicle body, substantia 1y as set forth.

6. A side loading funeral car comprising a vehicle having doors at the side of the same and adapted to open to provide an unobstructed doorway, a roller 011 each side of the floor of the vehicle disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the same for gulding a casket into the vehicle, and a roller mounted transversely of said last mentioned rollers for guiding the casket longitudinally of the vehicle, substantially as set forth.

7. A funeral car comprising a vehicle body with side doors, rollers disposed in the bottom of said vehicle body at an angle to its longitudinal dimension, slides mounted in the vehicle body adjacent the rear edge of each doorway and in position to receive contact of the end of the casket when being loaded from the opposite side and assist in guiding said casket into a longitudinal position, and means for holdin said casket from moving after being loade substantially as set forth.

8. A funeral car comprising a vehicle body with doors in its opposite sides, a series of rollers appropriately mounted in the floor of said vehicle body', part of said rollers adjacent the doors being disposed at an angle to the side of the, car and other rollers behind said angularly disposed rollers being disposed transversely of the car, and antifriction means adjacent the rear edges of the doorways for assisting in the guiding of a casket to position in the vehicle body, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and sea] at Knightstown, Indiana, this 7th day of March, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-seven.

ROBERT SILVER. 

